Clarification from the agency

Open to current, permanent employees of the Department of Veterans Affairs. First consideration will go to VISN 22 employees, followed by other VHA employees.

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Responsibilities and Duties may include, but are not limited to :

• Assuring coverage of all areas of responsibility
• Conducting ongoing reviews to ensure quality of work
• Ensuring accurate and timely scheduling of appointments
• Providing guidance to staff members to include changes in policies and procedures
• Distributing and balancing workload; creating and maintaining employee work schedules
• Orienting and providing on-the-job training for new and current employees; ensuring all training requirements are met
• Organizing the work structure of their assigned areas; ensuring optimal resource utilization of providers/clinicians in collaboration with AMSAs and CRH Leadership
• Acting as liaison between MSA and staff in order to resolve day to day conflicts.
• Ability to review and monitor data to ensure all reports are complete and accurate.
• Instructs new employees in all phases of the MSA assignment, and cross- trains other employees.
• Conducts classes and in-services for all Section employees on diverse topics which relate to the assignment.
• Reviews work in progress and completed work to ascertain work is correct and timely in accordance with performance and quality assurance requirement.
• Makes recommendations to Supervisor on performance of trainees and training needs of employees.
• Prepares lesson plans for trainees. Maintains record of work accomplishments and prepares reports to be shared with employees.
• Keeps Group Practice Management (GPM), Program Analysts, Ward Administration Section, and MSA Manager informed of all aspects of the training program.
• Systematically reviews the scheduling procedure manual, directives, policies and writes new or revised segments when warranted.
• Substitutes for Supervisor during periods of absence and provides assignments, guidance, and assistance to MSAs.
• Maintains knowledge of overall assignments to answer questions on policies and procedures.
• Incumbent must be a trained MSA to train new MSAs in this assignment. Incumbent's expertise should include to initiate and fulfill all MSA functions closely related to the care and treatment of inpatients and outpatients.
• Responsible for audits of all MSA staff.
• Responsible for providing computer access to all MSA employees

Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 0700 - 1530 MST
Telework: Ad-hoc only
Remote/Virtual: This is not a remote position.
Functional Statement #:000000
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

Conditions of employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job.
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959.
• Must be proficient in written and spoken English.
• You may be required to serve a probationary period.
• Subject to background/security investigation.
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued dentification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP).
• Participation in the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination program is a requirement for all Veterans Health Administration Health Care Personnel (HCP) - See "Additional Information" below for details.

Qualifications

Basic Requirements:

• Citizenship. Citizen of the United States. (Non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Chapter 3, Section A, paragraph 3.g.)
• Experience and Education.
  • Experience. Six months experience of clerical, office, [customer service], or other [administrative] work that indicates the ability to acquire the particular knowledge and skills needed to perform the duties of the position; or
  • Education. One year above high school; or
  • Experience/Education Combination. Equivalent combination of experience and education are qualifying for entry level for which both education and experience are acceptable.
• Certification. None required.
• Grandfathering Provision. All MSAs employed in VHA in this occupation on the effective date of this qualification standard are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the title, series, and grade held, [which] are [a] part of the basic requirements of the occupation. For employees who do not meet all the basic requirements required in this standard, but who met the qualifications applicable to the position at the time they were appointed to it, the following provisions apply: (1) Such employees may be reassigned, promoted, or [changed to a lower grade] within the occupation.
  • Employees who are appointed on a temporary basis prior to the effective date of the qualification standard may not have their temporary appointment extended or be reappointed, on a temporary or permanent basis, until they fully meet the basic requirements of the standard.
  • If an employee who was converted to [Title] 38 hybrid status under this provision leaves the occupation, the employee loses protected status and must meet the full VA qualification standard requirements in effect at the time of reentry to the occupation.
• Foreign Education. To be creditable, education completed outside the U.S. must have been submitted to a private organization that specializes in the interpretation of foreign educational credentials and such education must have been deemed at least equivalent to that gained in conventional U.S. programs.
• Physical Requirements. See VA Directive and Handbook 5019.
• English Language Proficiency. MSAs must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Chapter 3, Section A, paragraph 3.j.

Grade Requirements:

Creditable Experience

• Knowledge of MSA Practices. To be creditable, the experience must have demonstrated the knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) associated with current MSA responsibilities [or an equivalent administrative patient support role in a non-VA medical inpatient or outpatient setting]. Experience satisfying this requirement may be paid/non-paid employment as [an] MSA or [an equivalent position in a non-VA hospital or clinic setting].
• Quality of Experience. Qualifying experience must be at a level comparable to MSA experience [or equivalent administrative clinical support role in a non-VA medical inpatient or outpatient setting] at the next lower grade level. For all assignments above the full performance level, the higher-level duties must consist of significant scope, administrative independence, complexity (difficulty), and a range of [varieties] as described in this standard, at the specified grade level and be performed by the incumbent at least 25% of the time.
• Part-Time Experience. Part-time experience as [an MSA or equivalent administrative patient support in] a [non-VA medical inpatient or outpatient setting] is creditable according to its relationship to the full-time workweek. For example, [an] MSA employed 20 hours a week, or on a 1/2-time basis, would receive [one] full-time workweek of credit for each [two] weeks of service.

Grade Determinations: In addition to the basic requirements for employment listed above, the following education and experience criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates:

Lead Medical Support Assistant, GS-7

• Experience. One year of experience equivalent to the next lower [GS-6] grade level
• Assignment. The Lead MSA [is responsible for the coordination of Advanced MSA assignments and workflow found in an interdisciplinary unit. The Lead MSA is responsible for daily workload assessments, assigning work, and assuring proper staffing coverage; evaluating training records; and determining training needs of MSAs to provide support across interdisciplinary settings. The Lead assists the unit with complex and non-standard procedures, including clinical flow processes related to access to care across multiple clinics, specialties, and/or community resources. Assignments at this level include, but are not limited to: ensuring accurate and timely scheduling of appointments; providing guidance to staff members, to include changes in policies and procedures; creating and maintaining employee work schedules; and acting as a liaison among Advanced MSA staff, patients, and other interdisciplinary staff to resolve day-to-day conflicts.] For all assignments above the full performance level, the higher-level duties must consist of significant scope, administrative independence, complexity (difficulty) and range of variety as described in this standard at the specified grade level and be performed by the incumbent at least 25% of the time
• Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. Candidates must demonstrate [all of] the KSAs below:
  • Advanced knowledge of medical terminology and a wide range of clinical flow processes relating to access to care across multiple clinics, specialties, and/or community resources
  • Ability to utilize numerous advanced patient systems in support of multiple clinics in an interdisciplinary setting
  • Ability to organize work, set priorities, and delegate tasks/responsibilities in order to meet deadlines
  • Skill in communicating with individuals to obtain the desired effect and coordinating with a variety of interdisciplinary care team staff
  • Ability to provide staff development and training
  • Ability to manage staffing requirements, manage workflow priorities, and adjust the flow of work to meet team and patient needs. This includes the ability to follow-up on pending issues and demonstrate an understanding of the impact of incomplete work across multiple clinics

Preferred Experience: Experience with Clinical Resource Hub as well as Lead MSA experience.

Reference: VA HANDBOOK 5005/117 PART II APPENDIX G45 August 1, 2019 For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/.

This position is at full performance level GS-07.

Physical Requirements: The work is primarily sedentary with prolonged periods of sitting. The work requires moderate lifting, carrying, pushing, standing; reaching above shoulder; use of fingers; ability to read without strain; ability to hear the whispered voice with or without hearing aid; emotional & mental stability

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE MAY NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. Your application, resume, C.V., and/or supporting documentation will be verified. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect consideration for employment.

Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religions; spiritual; community; student; social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

The Department of Veterans Affairs performs pre-employment reference checks as an assessment method used in the hiring process to verify information provided by a candidate (e.g., on resume or during interview or hiring process); gain additional knowledge regarding a candidate's abilities; and assist a hiring manager with making a final selection for a position.

It is the policy of the VA to not deny employment to those that have faced financial hardships or periods of unemployment.